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The renowned publisher has welcomed Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the studio crew at their internal studio, which is currently crafting the anticipated third-person action-packed title known as Project Ethos.

Leadership Shift Comes After Lukewarm Feedback

The new appointee takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the dismissal of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last autumn.

Recently, 2K president a key figure informed staff about this strategic move through an official communication, which stressed that playtesting had revealed the need for a more defined direction.

The president expressed that the team is now overhauling the project with a renewed approach, aiming to satisfy gamer demands.

Trend of Key Acquisitions

The news follows a comparable step taken by 2K Games in August, when they hired Rod Fergusson from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Below is the entire message from Ismailer's announcement:

Dear Team—

I understand you all just completed your town hall - I trust you’re as excited as I am with the positive developments. Previously I shared you all a note, I mentioned the following: “I am confident in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and innovative designers we have had the chance to collaborate with - and we’re looking forward for that collaboration to persist.”

Given your hard work and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The community feedback from last autumn’s Project ETHOS demo was informative. It confirmed the potential of a roguelike shooter but made clear we still had improvements to make. It uncovered the need for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You accepted the input to heart and overhauled the title with a revitalized goal - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our fans.

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To advance the incredible advancement you’ve made, I’m excited to announce the new hire as the new Lead of 31st Union. Following several months of talks, he officially joins us on next week.

His leadership and background in the PVP shooter field is extensive, having dedicated the recent years developing and leading some of the most well-known series in gaming, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops, and most recently, the battle royale hit.

Please join me in receiving him next week. We are all eager to continue observing the evolution of Project ETHOS in the weeks to ahead.

David

Experience of the New Leader

The appointee presently holds the position of executive producer and head of production at the renowned studio for their flagship title. He previously worked at major gaming companies in various development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had periods at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Title Information and Vision

Project Ethos was unveiled in October 2024 in conjunction with a community playtest. At the time, the developers portrayed the game as a "free-to-play, 3rd-person roguelike hero shooter and an innovative evolution on the style."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Build your hero in live gameplay to suit your personal playstyle," the official summary explains. "Take on the competition with fresh skills, stakes, and obstacles that change every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your collected items? Or go big, risk it all, and trust your squad can secure victory? The decision is yours."

The game has not yet received an announced launch window or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to more updates as creation advances.